


Till the End of Time

by insanity_times_ten



Series: One Day at a Time [1]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: F/F, I think that’s it, Mostly Wholesome, Near-Death Experience, Pregnancy, True Love, lgbtq+, no never mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:35:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 7,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24227461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insanity_times_ten/pseuds/insanity_times_ten
Summary: Love at first sight doesn’t exist...or does it?
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr
Series: One Day at a Time [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782307
Comments: 9
Kudos: 46





	1. Can’t Help Falling in Love

Anne walks into the coffee shop. The baristas know her order, a French vanilla cappuccino and a chocolate croissant. She grabs a seat by the window and can’t help but notice the girl across the building from her. She has tan skin, perfectly sun-kissed. Her frizzy hair is loose, cascading over her shoulders. Her brown eyes are focused behind black wire-rimmed glasses. She is typing furiously on her laptop, surrounded by open books. She is wearing a loose-fitting blue top and black skinny jeans. Her drink is getting cold, but she is too busy to notice. Anne moves over to sit by her, barely earning a glance up. The girl quickly does a double take, focusing her gaze on Anne.   
“Can I help you?” she asks, the impatience in her voice apparent.   
“Well, actually, yes. I need advice… to give to a friend. She spotted someone the other day and was automatically captivated by them. How would she go about getting to know them?” Anne attempts, stumbling over her words.   
“Cover story’s not gonna work on me, girlie. I saw you staring at me from over there. So, I’ll ask again-can I help you?”  
“Fine, you caught me. I saw you and I was-ohhh, what’s the word…”  
“Infatuated?”  
“Yeah, sure, that. I was infatuated the second I saw you,” Anne says, trying the new word on for size.  
“Y’know, I’d like to know your name,” the girl prompts.   
“Oh! Uh, I’m in lo- I mean Anne Boleyn!” Anne stumbles again. “Do you have a name?”  
“I’m Catherine Parr. My close friends call me Cathy, but I’m not sure if I trust you enough yet,” she says, giving Anne a judgemental side-eye.   
“Ok, uh, Catherine, are you single?”  
“Why? You interested?”  
“I was just wondering if you’d like to go to dinner with me one night this week.”  
“Sure. Text me details later.” She proceeded to scrawl her number onto a nearby napkin. 482-7909. Anne took the napkin and stuck it into the pocket of her green jacket.   
“Alright, I gotta go. See you later, then,” Anne waved.   
“’Bye.” Catherine, realizing a few moments later that it was pointless trying to research now, began to pack her bag. 

(Anne)  
Hey, Catherine, this is Anne. I was wondering if dinner sounded good for tonight instead of later this week?  
(Catherine)  
Sounds great. What time are you picking me up?  
(A)  
6:30. Where do you live?  
(C)  
991 Maple Apt. 4B. Building across from the coffee shop.   
(A)  
Alright then, it’s a date.   
(C)  
Don’t say that!  
(A)  
Why not?  
(C)  
Just... don’t. 

That night, right at 6:30, Anne knocks on the door of apartment 4B. Catherine walks out, locks the door, and follows Anne down to the car.   
“So, Anne, where are we going?” Catherine asks once they are in the car.   
“There’s this Italian place across town that I’ve been dying to try.”  
“So that’s what I am, huh? An excuse to go to a new restaurant?”  
“No, that’s not-”  
“You do realize I’m joking, right?”

About halfway into dinner, Anne can’t wait any longer. “Do you wanna be my girlfriend?” Catherine nearly spits out her water.   
“You’re assuming my sexuality! I didn’t sign up to date you! We aren’t doing this as friends, let alone partners! We are... acquaintances, nothing more!” Anne looks as though she’s about to cry. “You know, you’re cute when you’re all flustered like that. ’Course I’ll go out with you, I’m not usually one to turn down an opportunity like this.”  
“Yes!” Anne shouts, then quickly realizes that she is in a restaurant. “Oops, sorry!”  
“It’s all good.”


	2. Never Ever Getting Rid of Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m only posting two chapters tonight because I love you guys. Also, this takes place a few months after Can’t Help Falling in Love.

(A)  
Ready to go find an apartment, beautiful?  
(C)  
Anne, it’s seven in the morning. I haven’t eaten anything yet.  
(A)  
Stay where you are, I’m coming.   
(C)  
Jesus Christ. 

Sure enough, not five minutes later, Anne lets herself into apartment 4B, carrying pancake mix, rainbow sprinkles, and whipped cream. Anne has both a spare key to apartment 4B and the trust required to call her girlfriend Cathy. Anne prepares the pancake mix, mixing in sprinkles, gets out a frying pan, and begins to cook the pancakes, but not before putting the whipped cream in Cathy’s small freezer.   
“Cathy! Unicorn pancakes!” Anne calls once she has the pancakes cooked and plated with a scoop of frozen whipped cream on top. Cathy took to calling them unicorn pancakes the second she saw them for the first time. Cathy comes running into the living room like a little kid. “Ah-ah-ah,” Anne says when Cathy makes a grab at the pancakes. “What do I get?” Cathy gives her a quick peck on the cheek and grabs a plate of pancakes. Anne, feeling slightly neglected, steals a bite of Cathy’s whipped cream. 

After breakfast, Anne and Cathy look for apartments on Zillow. They aren’t too ready to move too far away from the apartments where Cathy lives now. Both of the girls’ parents live in the city, and they’d like to stay close to them. They find one to go look at that has four bedrooms and two bathrooms, and it’s also quite close to the school with the best fine arts department in the area. Both Anne and Cathy love children and the idea of waking up to the sound of little feet on the floor. 

The apartment is perfect. The rent isn’t too much, especially with the somewhat large salary Cathy has been making recently as an author. It’s the perfect place to raise children as well. It’s a nice neighborhood near a park, and it’s only a 15 minute drive to Cathy’s parents’ house, and within walking distance of Anne’s parents’ house.


	3. Never Gonna Give You Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Cathy finally take the next step in their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place about a year after the previous chapter.

Anne had proposed to Cathy a few months ago at the same table they had met at. Now they are planning their wedding. Nothing too fancy, just a family function. They decide to get married in Cathy’s parents’ backyard, as it’s just big enough for both families to enjoy the ceremony. Anne’s grandfather will be officiating the ceremony, he was a big part of her childhood. The bridesmaids will be Anne and Cathy’s friends Jane Seymour and Katherine Howard, along with Anne’s sister, Mary, and Catherine’s sister, Ann. Mary’s daughter, Catherine, is to be the flower girl, and Jane’s son, Edward, will be the ring bearer. 

The day of the wedding

Katherine and Mary are staying busy keeping Cathy from seeing Anne, and Jane and Ann are keeping Anne away from Cathy. Edward is sent by Cathy to give a note to his “Aunt Annie”, which keeps him busy while Ann and Jane help Cathy into her dress, a very simple mermaid gown, only having a few embellishments. Anne receives the note, which reads:  
Dearest Anne- Are you ready? I know I am. All my love, your Catherine  
Anne breaks down into tears, almost ruining her makeup. Thankfully, her mascara is waterproof.   
Once she has collected herself, Anne is zipped into her bridal wear, a tea-length strapless dress with a skirt of mostly tulle. (See Phillipa Soo’s Kennedy Center dress)

Cathy is waiting under the willow tree for Anne, and the second she gets a glimpse of her, she is in awe. Anne doesn’t walk, she seems to float. 

“The couple has written their own vows to each other.”  
“Anne Boleyn, I will love you every day of our lives, through thick and thin, I’ll be there. Through the adventures that having children will bring, I’ll support you. You are my first real love, and you’ll be my last love. Bring on the unicorn pancakes. Love you now and forever.”  
“Catherine Parr, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. You light up my life, and you rock my world every day. You are my world, my rock, my partner in crime. You’ve supported all my crazy ideas, and you’ll make a great mother someday. I love our karaoke parties, ice cream dinners, and late-night cuddle sessions. I love when you get up before me to work out, and I love when you stay up till 4 a.m. writing. I love you, and that’s all that matters.”

“I present to you, for the first time as a married couple, Mrs. and Mrs. Anne and Catherine Boleyn-Parr!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are loving reading this as much as I am writing it.


	4. Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Cathy are ready to take the leap into parenthood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place two months after previous chapter, loads of time skips though.

“Are you sure, Cathy?” asks Anne. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”  
“Anne. I would be honored to carry our child. You know that.” Anne and Cathy have decided that they are ready to take on parenthood.   
“Did I ever tell you how much I love you?”  
“Every day.”   
“The donor’s gotta look like me, though.”  
“We’ll try our best, you know that.”  
“Are you ready?”  
“Let’s go.”  
The ride to the clinic is filled with idle chatter. Cathy is nervous, and Anne is nervous for her as well. They do consider themselves lucky that so many people are willing to donate in order to help couples have children. They are excited to have this opportunity, even though it’s taking a lot of work. Cathy has to track her cycles, eat well, and get plenty of sleep. Anne has to encourage healthy habits, which is not one of her strong suits.   
After the procedure, Cathy has to lie still for half an hour, and after that they are free to go home. The next month is filled with nervous anticipation, waiting for the day that Cathy can get a blood test to see if she's pregnant. 

A month later 

“Today’s the day, Cathy! How do you feel?”  
“Nauseous.”  
“Yippee! Come on, your appointment is soon!” Today, Cathy gets to do her first pregnancy test. Anne is excited, because Cathy’s life is exciting, and Cathy’s life is her life. The doctor says that the blood test results will take about two hours to come back. Anne and Cathy go home and watch Netflix, because that’s all Cathy feels like doing. They’re both asleep on the couch when the call comes in. Cathy is the first to wake up, followed shortly by Anne. Cathy answers the call and puts the doctor on speakerphone.   
“Girls, I have good news and bad news for you.” The couple shoots each other a nervous look. “The good news is, Cathy is pregnant! Congratulations! And I lied- there is no bad news! Just make sure you watch out for bleeding, stay away from seafood and alcohol, don’t drink too much caffeine, and please don’t wear yourself thin like you usually do.”  
“Alright, thanks, doctor!” Anne says before they hang up.   
“Anne, we’re gonna be mothers!”  
“How are we gonna do it?”  
“One day at a time.”

A few weeks later 

“Cathy! It’s time to go to the doctor!”  
“I’m coming!” They jump into the car and drive to Cathy’s OB doctor.  
“How can I help you ladies?” the receptionist asks when they get there.   
“I’m here for my ten week appointment,” Cathy says.   
“Alright, here’s some paperwork you need to fill out. The doctor will be ready in a few minutes.” Soon enough, the doctor leads them to a dark room.   
“We’re gonna do an ultrasound, we’re also gonna see if we can hear your baby’s heartbeat,” the doctor explains. “Sound good?”  
“Fabulous,” Cathy replies.   
“Right then. This gel might be a little cold.” By the look on Cathy’s face, Anne could tell that the gel was more than a little cold. The doctor placed a tool on Cathy’s abdomen, and a shadowy shape appeared on the screen on the opposite wall.   
Anne presses Cathy’s knuckles to her lips and whispers into her hand, as though not to wake the tiny baby inside of her wife, “Look, Cathy. It’s our baby!” Soon a rapid thumping noise filled their ears.   
“That’s your baby’s heartbeat, if you watch the screen you might be able to see it move a bit.”  
“It’s beautiful, Cathy,” Anne says as the baby moves its arm, like it’s waving. 

Two months later

“Anne!”  
“I’m coming!” Anne yells while sprinting down the hall, worried that something is wrong. “What’s wrong?”  
“Oh, nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to let you know that starting this week, the baby will be able to hear you.” Anne rests her head gently on Cathy's small baby bump, and feels a jolt a few moments later. “Oh yeah, it’s also supposed to get more active here pretty soon.”  
“Soon we’ll be able to know if it’s a boy or girl!”  
“Yeah, it’ll be nice to be able to call it he or she.”  
“We’ll need a name.”  
A few days later  
“It’s a girl!”

Two weeks later 

“Elizabeth,” Anne says in passing.   
“That’s perfect, babe!”  
“So, that’s her name?”  
“Yes. We’ve gotta start putting her baby book together!”

A month later 

Cathy is curled up on the couch, quite obviously in pain. “What’s the matter, honey?” Anne asks.  
“Hiccups. Elizabeth has the hiccups, and she’s moving every 5 minutes because of it!”  
“Should we try to calm her down? It might help you relax, too.”  
“What did you have in mind?”  
Anne begins to sing, her voice sweet and natural. “You are my sunshine…” and by the end of the song, Cathy is asleep, her hand resting on her now quite large stomach. Elizabeth seems to have calmed down, as Cathy hasn’t jolted awake at all yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping you guys are still liking it! I’m posting all my finished chapters so far tonight.


	5. Our Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Cathy’s lives are changed forever, but Anne’s almost takes a turn for the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know what to say. This chapter was definitely the most emotionally taxing one so far for me to write. Two months after previous chapter.

Late one night, Cathy feels a twinge in her stomach. She decides that she just needs to use the bathroom. When she gets there, a trickle coming from between her legs surprises her, and she runs to wake Anne up. “Anne. Anne! ANNE!!!”  
“What?” Anne says after waking with a start.  
“My water just broke. We need to go… now.”  
“Alright. I’ll...grab the bags. Who do I call?”  
“Well, first of all, you need to call the hospital. Let them know we’re coming. Then-” Cathy winces as a contraction hits her. “Then you need to call Jane. You know I want her in the delivery room with us, right?”  
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Will you be ok in here while I go grab the bags?”  
“I’ll be fine, just hurry!” Cathy says through gritted teeth. Anne grabs the bags quicker than she thought possible, and helps Cathy down the stairs of the building and into the car, now complete with a carseat. The second they’re in the car, Anne dials the hospital and tells them that they are about ten minutes away.   
Once they arrive at the hospital and Cathy is in a bed, Anne calls Jane.   
“Hello?” Jane says sleepily.   
“Listen Jane, I know it’s late, but Cathy’s gone into labor. She wants you here.”  
“Alright, tell her I’m on the way.”  
Anne turns around to face Cathy. “Jane’s on the way.” All Cathy can do is nod, her pain is too great to speak.   
A nurse walks in. “Your doctor is on her way, Mrs. Boleyn-Parr. Can I check how far you’ve progressed?”  
“Be my guest,” Cathy says.   
After a couple minutes, the nurse announces that Cathy is dilated 6 centimeters, making her officially in active labor. Not too long after, Jane rushes into the room, already spouting an apology. “Sorry I took so long, I had to go tell my parents that I might not be able to pick up Edward on time tomorrow.”  
“Ah shit, I knew I was forgetting something. Sorry you had to go out of your way,” Anne says.   
Cathy is about to chide Anne for cursing, but Jane speaks up first. “No worries, I had to be here for your little one. It’s really no trouble.”

After being in labor for almost seventeen hours, it is finally time for Anne and Cathy to welcome little Elizabeth into the world. Cathy’s doctor arrived a long while ago.  
“Alright Cathy, I’m going to need you to push on the next contraction,” the doctor instructs. So, when the next contraction hits, the room is filled with sounds, from Cathy’s screaming, to Jane cheering her on and Anne muttering encouragements into her hair, to the doctor assuring her that she’s doing great. After a few pushes, a new sound enters the mix- a newborn’s piercing cry. Cathy falls back onto the bed, completely exhausted, as Anne’s trembling hand cuts the baby’s umbilical cord. Jane busies herself wiping the sweat off of Cathy’s face. The baby is given to Cathy so that she can be fed.   
“So what’re you naming her, Cathy?” Jane asks.   
“Elizabeth. Her name is Elizabeth Maud Boleyn-Parr.”  
“She’s beautiful.” Jane glances over at Anne, who has fainted into a chair. “Someone’s tired.”  
“Yeah, I don’t blame her a bit, I wouldn’t blame you either, if you wanted to sleep. You guys haven’t left my bedside since eleven last night.”  
“You’ll be ok by yourself?”  
“Yep.”   
Jane sits down and closes her eyes, but no sooner is she awakened by a long, familiar beep. She jerks awake and sees Cathy laying completely still on her bed, the baby still on her chest. Jane notices that Elizabeth isn’t rising and falling with the movement of her mother’s chest- which isn’t moving! She pulls the newborn away from her mother, sets her in the hospital bassinet, and sprints into the hallway, yelling, “Help! The mother isn’t breathing! Help, please!” Cathy’s doctor happens to be passing by and sprints into the room. She calls for more help and starts CPR. Anne wakes up from all the commotion. Jane tries to keep her from seeing Cathy but fails. Anne begins to scream at the doctors to wake Cathy up, wake her up now. Jane calls the rest of Cathy’s and Anne’s friends. When Catherine Aragon texts her that they are outside Cathy’s room, she doesn’t let them in, but rather goes out into the hall to talk with them. “The baby was born. Her name’s Elizabeth.” Then Jane grips the railing on the wall and begins to shake. The other women gather around her. “I looked away for barely a second, Cathy told me to get some rest… then I heard her flatline… I went into the hall to find a doctor…” Jane breaks down, and chokes words out in between sobs. “Now Anne... Anne...she’s in there screaming at them… she’s screaming ‘wake her up, wake my baby up, I need her!’... and I… I just couldn’t take it anymore… I can’t take it…”  
Catherine pulls her close, letting Jane cry into her shoulder, and rubs circles into her back, whispering “Shhh, mija, it’ll be ok, it’s gonna be fine. The doctors know what they’re doing, they’re gonna bring her back. My mami used to tell me that everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.”  
Right on cue, Anne comes through the door to Cathy’s room and announces, “They’ve got her back. She’s still out cold, but she’s breathing again, they’ve got her on oxygen. They don’t know for sure what happened, they think her body was shutting down because of stress. You guys can come on in, though. I’m sure you want to see Elizabeth.” The girls all file into the room and begin fawning over the baby.   
“She’s got Cathy’s hair, Anne!”  
“Her nose too!”  
“Lookit her fingers!”  
“She’s perfect!”  
“An angel straight from heaven.”  
“A doll!”  
Cathy begins to stir in her bed. Anne rushes over to her. “Hey, gorgeous! Everyone’s here to see you.”  
Cathy rubs her eyes. “Where’s Elizabeth?”  
“She’s in here.” Anne takes Jane aside. “Should I tell her?”  
“Go ahead. We’re all right here with you.”  
“Cathy? I have… something to tell you.”  
“What is it, Annie?”  
“You… you scared me today. You don’t know it, but you stopped breathing earlier. The doctors said that your body was shutting down because of stress. You were gone for almost fifteen minutes… and… and… I thought I was going to lose you, I really did.”  
“Oh, Annie, I never tried to scare you, and you know I’d never try to hurt you!”  
“I know, it’s just- I panicked. I thought our little girl would have to grow up without ever knowing her Mama, and that I would lose the love of my life. I thought you were leaving me!” Her last sentence comes out angrier than she expected it to.   
“Anne,” Cathy says sternly. “I thought we agreed to live in the present. I know it’s easy to hang onto the past, but you’ve got to let it go!”  
“But what if it happens again? What if it happens again and I do lose you?”  
“Then you’ll tell Elizabeth how much her Mama loves her every day, but I promise, I’m not going anywhere for a long time. You need to stop worrying about the future, Anne. Take a breath!” Cathy giggles at her unintentional pun.   
“You know, it’s hard to take you seriously when you’re doped up on pain meds and you weren’t breathing ten minutes ago.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it’s called a code blue, don’t yell at me. That whole scene was supposed to be almost like a fever dream for Jane, thus triggering her breakdown. Also, I have no clue if you can actually die or almost die from stress, I tried googling it but couldn’t get an answer. Sorry if there is wrong information in this chapter.


	6. And Baby Makes Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby Elizabeth is growing up!

Anne and Cathy were finally allowed to take Elizabeth home after four days. Now she is six months old, and quite advanced developmentally. She can sit up, roll over, and is beginning to use an army crawl to get around. One day, Cathy passes by Elizabeth as she is playing on the floor, and she is taken by surprise. “Ma-ma-ma-ma!” Elizabeth babbles.   
“Yes, that’s right, Mama! Good girl!” Cathy praises her. “Annie! You’ll never guess what Elizabeth did!”  
Anne sticks her head out of her and Cathy’s room, where she is folding laundry. “She’s walking already!?”  
“No, not that, silly! She said Mama!”  
“She did? That’s wonderful!” Anne cheers, going out into the living room to give both of her girls a kiss. “Her hair’s really getting long now,” Anne adds.   
“Yeah, it is,” Cathy replies while absentmindedly running her fingers through Elizabeth’s hair. “D’you reckon it’s about time we had your mom cut her hair?”  
“Or… we could wait a little longer? Her hair’s so cute right now.”  
“Ugh, why do you always have to have better ideas than me?” Cathy remarks, giving Anne a light swat on the rear as she leaves the room.   
“Hey!” Anne yelps. Cathy sticks out her tongue at Anne, and Elizabeth follows suit. Cathy can’t help but to laugh. 

Two months later

Elizabeth is now getting around quite well. She is able to crawl quite quickly, and walks with help. She can say “mama,” “milk,” “please,” (sounds like “peas”) “thank you,” (sounds like “tutu”) “no,” and “up.” Anne and Cathy are pleased with her progress so far, and they take her to Jane’s house quite often so that she can get used to other kids, and besides, Edward absolutely adores her. He runs around, like a normal five-year-old, but periodically checks on Elizabeth to make sure she’s doing fine by herself, even though her mothers are just in the next room, usually chatting with Jane over tea. One day, though, everyone at the Seymour house is caught by surprise. The adults hear a small crash come from the living room. Anne jumps up first. “Cathy. Elizabeth!”   
They all run into the living room, where Elizabeth has just fallen onto her side. Cathy sits her back up, but Elizabeth screams, “No Mama!” and begins to make a grunting noise that sounds like “Eh! Eh!”  
“What in the world is she saying?” Cathy asks Anne.  
“Well, it sounded to me like she doesn’t want-”  
“Not that, genius! I understand full well what that means. I meant the noise that she’s making now!” They sit in silence as Elizabeth continues to grunt.   
Jane’s face lights up. “I know what she’s trying to say! She’s heard me call Edward ‘Ed’ and ‘Eddie’.”  
“So she’s trying to get Edward’s attention?” Anne asks.   
“That’s what I’m thinking, yeah. Eddie?”  
Edward runs into the living room. “Yes, Mama?”  
“Listen to what Lizzie’s saying!”   
Anne gives a little smile when she hears the nickname that Jane’s given her and makes a mental note to bring up nicknames with Cathy later.   
“Eh! Eh!” Elizabeth says with a smile on her face, finally seeing in front of her who she’s been asking for.   
“What’s she saying, Mama?”  
“She’s saying ‘Ed! Ed!’”  
Edward gets down to Elizabeth’s level and begins to kiss the top of her head, muttering “Good job, Lizzie!”, “Good girl!” and “Eddie loves you, Lizzie,” between his little kisses. Cathy’s heart melts when she hears Edward tell her daughter that he loves her. 

Four months later

Today is Lizzie’s first birthday. Anne and Cathy decided that “Elizabeth” is a bit of a mouthful to be saying multiple times an hour and chose to use the nickname that most of their friends and family had already given her. Jane is making the cakes for the party, which is a huge help to the Boleyn-Parr family, as they are spending the vast majority of their time getting their toddler to cooperate with them. Today’s battle is getting Lizzie to hold still long enough for Anne’s mom, Lizzie’s Nana, to braid her hair.   
After finally getting Lizzie dressed and her hair, which she definitely inherited from Cathy, braided, Anne sits her in the high chair in the kitchen. While Anne prepares snacks for the party, she tells her, as she does every day, “Mommy loves you, Lizzie.”  
“Lizzie love Mommy!” This isn’t new, but Anne still falls in love with her daughter again every time she says this, even when she mixes up Cathy and Anne. However, this time is different. Unprompted, Lizzie says, “An’ Lizzie love Mama, an’ Nana, an’ Ed, an’ Poppa, an’ Gram…” Lizzie begins to list all her relatives, including her “aunts,” her mothers’ friends. Anne rushes into the pantry, trying not to cry out of sheer happiness, and grabs two chocolate chip cookies.   
“Cookie?” Anne asks her tiny daughter. Lizzie begins to nod excitedly, her pudgy hands thumping the tray on her high chair. “What do you say?”  
“Pwease cookie Mommy!” Lizzie’s speech has improved immensely over the past four months. She is beginning to string words together into sentences, though she still babbles from time to time.   
“You got it, baby.” Anne is happy to share her favorite things with her daughter, even if it means less cookies for herself.   
“Mommy look door!” Lizzie says as a few party guests step inside. “Auntie Caf’rine an’ Auntie Kit an’...” Lizzie always stumbles over Anna’s name, whether it’s because she hears Cathy calling Anne by her first name and she’s confused by the similarity, or just because Auntie Anna is difficult for her to say.   
“It’s Auntie Anna, Lizzie,” Anna says kindly.  
“Auntie Annie?” Lizzie is still confused.  
Anna is about to give in and be Auntie Annie when Cathy pokes her head into the kitchen. “My sister’s name is Ann.” Anna resigns to the fact that Lizzie is just gonna take a while to learn her name.   
Meanwhile, Anne and Katherine are talking while Anne continues to cook. Anne notices a ring catch the light from its place on her friend’s left hand. “Hey Kitty, I like your ring! Where’d you get it?” Katherine tries to hide the sheepish grin that sneaks its way onto her face as she looks over her shoulder at Anna. “Oh my god, you didn’t! She didn’t! You aren’t!” Anne screams, unable to form full sentences in her excitement.   
“I did, she did, we are,” Katherine replies, knowing exactly what Anne is meaning to say.  
“No! Cathy, get in here!” Cathy sprints into the room, fearing the worst, when Anne holds up Katherine’s hand, saying “Look at this! Look!”  
“Jesus Christ, Anne, you had me dead on my feet!” Cathy says without noticing the shiny jewel on Katherine’s finger. “Oh. My. God. You- She- No way!” Katherine is blushing from all the attention, which she didn’t expect.   
“Mama door! Door!” Lizzie says as the door opens again, letting Anne and Cathy know that more guests had arrived. In came Jane and Edward with the cakes and Catherine’s eight-year-old daughter, Mary, and… Jane’s ex-husband? Anne and Cathy exchange a nervous glance. They didn’t invite him. Anne is so caught up in worry that she barely notices Anna cracking her knuckles, ready to protect her friends, their kids, and her fiancée. They all know what he had done to Jane, how she struggled to get herself and baby Edward away from him. And now he’s back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter I’m gonna take a break from all the Parrlyn and focus on Jane and her past.


	7. It’s Not Simple to Say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane’s flashback triggered by seeing Henry at Lizzie’s party. Approximately 5 years before chapter six.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: domestic violence/abuse  
> Mentions of rape  
> Threats with a weapon  
> A little cursing  
> Alcoholism/drunkenness   
> Henry is a dickhole

She didn’t know it would happen. No one did. He was just fine when they got married, he supported her while she was pregnant, but when Edward was born, he changed. Most men would be overjoyed to have a son, someone to take fishing, to play football with, to wrestle with in the living room. Henry… was less than impressed. He became an alcoholic, his rancid breath stinging Jane’s nose after each of his nights out. He would drunkenly rant about how useless his two-month-old son was. Jane had a feeling that he was cheating on her, as he smelled like a mix of alcohol and a perfume that Jane didn’t wear, but all mentioning that fact got her was a smack across the face. “What do you want, you fat pig, a Nobel prize?” he would sneer. Sometimes it was worse. Some nights he was so drunk that he tried to take advantage of her. She tried her best to push him away, but he was too strong for her. Some nights he threatened to harm her. Some nights he threatened to harm her son. She no longer referred to Edward as their son, only her son. She wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. Her friends tried their best to help her, but they didn’t know where exactly to start. Catherine offered to get a lawyer. Anna threatened to deck him. Jane turned their offers down, knowing that he would never let her leave, scared of what he might do if she tried to leave.  
One night, Jane had had enough of Henry’s shit. She confronted him about what he had been doing. He got his shotgun and shot the wall, demonstrating what he would do if she tried to get help. She also received a rather heavy beating that night. The next morning, Jane put on her makeup and sunglasses, doing her best to cover up her bruises. However, she forgot about the bruises on her legs. She went to lunch with her friends, bringing Edward along, since their house was no longer safe. When she turned to use the restroom, Anne caught sight of a bright purple bruise.  
“Jane?” she called, gesturing towards the bruise. “What’s this?”  
“Oh...uh...I...I fell down the stairs?”  
“Jane. Your house doesn’t have stairs,” Katherine reminded her.  
“Oh, yeah. I… I…”  
“Jane. We know what’s going on,” Anna said firmly.  
“With...uh...with what?”  
“Ay, mija,” Catherine rolled her eyes. “With your man!”  
“Oh, no, it’s not what you think. We are very happy together.” She was obviously lying now.  
“Into the bathroom,” Anne commanded.  
Once they were all crowded into the wheelchair-accessible stall, Jane was commanded to take off her dress. The girls gasped when they saw her new bruises, all various shades of blue and purple.  
“¡Dios mio!” Catherine yelped. “What has that...that wretched man been doing to you?”  
“He doesn’t mean it… he gets drunk… he can’t control himself…” Jane muttered before telling them everything.  
“You’ve gotta get yourself away from that prick,” Anne said when she was done telling her story.  
“I can’t...he’ll...he’ll kill me… and Edward...what have I done?”  
“Mija, shhh, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s your son-of-a-bitch husband who’s done it all wrong,” Catherine said. Everyone gasped when she cursed, this was a side of her that they had never seen. “Oh, grow up!” she said jokingly at their surprise.  
“I have a plan!” Katherine said triumphantly. “So here’s how it’s gonna go…”

The next day, Jane left as usual for lunch with her friends and Edward, making sure she brought extra clothes for the both of them. She also made sure to grab the small stack of cash that Henry kept in his dresser. After lunch, she went home with Catherine, she was gonna stay there till she got back on her feet. She blocked Henry’s number on her phone, right after she deleted the tracking app that he installed. She felt liberated, but still scared. 

She found an apartment for herself and her son soon, not too far from Catherine but far enough away from her other friends that she can hide out there instead sometimes, like if she has a bad feeling about the day. That’s how it’s been for the past five years...but he found her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I need a full story about Jane now...


	8. It’s My Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry is dealt with at Lizzie’s party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to the present. Henry is still a dick. Anne swears.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Catherine says, shooting Jane a disapproving look.   
“Hm, yeah, nice to see you too, Catherine,” Henry mutters sarcastically.  
Anne cuts in. “Uh, Jane? A word?” Jane reluctantly follows her.   
“Anne, it’s not-”  
“Yes, it is. He’s roping you back in! You know better than to… to let him!”  
“No, Anne! He found me! Asked where I was going. I only told him ‘a party’. He...must have thought it was a houseparty...he followed me here.”  
“Were you in your car? Was he in his?”  
“Yes and no.”  
“Then why the hell did you not flatten his ass right there?”  
Jane hesitates. “Too many witnesses?” she tries.   
“No. Jane. Look. Look at yourself. You still have feelings for that two-faced son of a bitch!”  
“He wasn’t in his right mind after Edward-”  
“No, Jane! You don’t get it! Henry is a bad man! You’ve gotta stop doing this to yourself.” Before she can say another word, a large crash comes from the kitchen.  
“That was either Lizzie or…” Jane begins.  
“Oh fuck no. Not today,” Anne mutters. The two women whip their heads around and lock eyes.   
“Anna!” they say in unison. They sprint into the kitchen to see Anna pinning Henry onto the tile floor.   
“Get. Out,” Anna growls through bared teeth. Cathy and Catherine pull Anna off of Henry. They then snatch up his arms, drag him through the hall, and push him down the stairs to the foyer of the apartment building. When they return to the party, everyone is cheering for them and Anna.  
“He coming back?” Katherine asks.  
“No. We took good care of him,” Cathy replies.   
“Throw him down the stairs?” Anne asks, to which Cathy replies with a nod. “That’s my girl!”  
The rest of the party goes off without any more interruptions from Mr. Dickface™, and Lizzie enjoys herself immensely, as she should. It is her party, after all!


	9. How Do I Say Goodbye?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Cathy are sad to see their princess leave for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it sounds really sad, but it really isn't. Timeskip is like 4 and a half years.

It’s been over four years since anyone has seen or heard from Henry, he’s better off dead anyway. Now Lizzie is starting kindergarten, which Anne and Cathy are dreading. It’s not that she isn’t ready to start school, Cathy’s made sure of that. They just aren’t ready to let go of their little girl.  
On the morning of the first day of school, all of Lizzie’s aunts are helping her get ready for the day. Catherine is cooking breakfast, Anne is packing Lizzie’s lunchbox, Jane is fixing Lizzie’s hair into a ponytail, Anna is...well, Anna isn’t really being much help, unless you count being a distraction “helping”, Katherine is picking out Lizzie’s outfit, and Cathy is packing all of the school supplies into her daughter’s My Little Pony backpack while trying not to cry.  
Despite all her efforts, Cathy finally gives in to her emotions. She breaks down into tears at the kitchen table. Hearing her beloved wife crying sets Anne into motion. She rushes over to the table, nearly knocking Catherine over in the process.  
“What’s wrong, love?” she asks, true concern in her eyes.  
“Oh, it’s just...Lizzie...I’m not ready…” Cathy manages to choke out before beginning to sob uncontrollably again.  
“Oh, honey,” Anne says, rubbing Cathy’s back. “She’s ready. That’s what matters.”  
“I-I know...b-but…”  
“Shhh. You’re working yourself up, you’re just gonna make yourself sick. I’ll finish packing her bag, you go pull yourself together, but whatever you do, don’t let Lizzie see you cry.” Cathy hiccups, and Anne can’t help but smile.  
“I’ll try,” Cathy says with a nod, getting up from the table.  
Soon, Catherine has finished cooking breakfast, and Lizzie comes running into the kitchen, dressed in a pink sparkly t-shirt and white denim shorts, her pouf of a ponytail bouncing behind her. She wraps Anne’s legs in a hug and asks “Where’s Mama?”  
“Mama’s in the other room. D’you wanna know a secret?” Anne says.  
Lizzie bounces up and down. “Yeah! What is it, Mommy? Tell me tell me!”  
Anne bends down to whisper in her child’s ear. “I think Mama’s sad that you’re going to school.”  
“Does she need a hug?”  
“I bet she does.”  
“Ok Mommy, I’ll go give her one!” Lizzie runs off to the living room in search of her Mama. Anne walks over to where Catherine is plating up breakfast.  
“Dear God, Catherine! You had to make churros?”  
“Hey! It’s her first day of school, she’s gotta have a special breakfast.”  
“Fair point. But it couldn't have been just a tad healthier?”  
“Look. If you wanted healthy food, you coulda made it yourself,” Catherine jabs, and Anne gasps, knowing how terrible of a cook she is. Anne rolls her eyes and walks away, defeated entirely.  
Once Lizzie has had her breakfast, the small family heads to the school. They don’t need to take the car since the school is only a couple blocks away.  
Once the trio arrives, Lizzie gives her mothers a hug and a kiss on the cheek each and runs off into a crowd of other five-year-olds, already on the way to making friends. It takes Cathy all of her strength not to cry right then and there on the school sidewalk.  
“Do you wanna go home?” Anne asks, mostly to keep both herself and her wife from crying. She feels Cathy nod against her shoulder. They take each other by the hand and walk away from the school building.


	10. Ready, Set...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new addition to the Boleyn-Parr home.

“I know, I know. I want another baby just as much as you do, but…” Anne and Cathy are at the cafe where they met. “I just… I don’t want to risk it. Last time…”  
“Anne! There are other ways. We could foster, or we could adopt! It’s not the end of the world if we don’t have another biological child!”  
They decide that adoption would be the best plan, and, a couple months after they complete all the necessary steps to become adoptive parents, they get a call.  
“Hello, is this the Boleyn-Parr household?”  
“Yes, this is Cathy, what do you need?”  
“Is your wife there with you? You may want her to be in the room with you.”  
“No, hold on just a minute.” She covers the end of the phone with her hand. “Anne!”  
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Anne sprints into the kitchen.  
“Ok, she’s here now. I’ve got you on speaker.”  
“Perfect. Now, don’t scream, but I’ve got a young mother that’s selected you ladies to adopt her daughter. She’s due in two weeks.”  
“Oh! That’s great news!”   
“Glad you’re excited. We’ll call you when she goes into labor. Could be any time now.”  
“Alright, we’ll be waiting!” Cathy turns to Anne. “We gotta get bags packed. Where’s Lizzie gonna stay?”  
“My mom’ll take her.”  
A few days later, Anne and Cathy get a call that their child’s birth mother has gone into labor and is very close to having the baby. They grab their bags and rush to the hospital, stopping only to drop Lizzie off at Anne’s parents’ house (and at red lights, but that’s beside the point). They aren’t allowed in the room until the baby is born, cleaned off, and with her mother. They knew that the birth mother was young, but they would never have been able to guess how young she is. They walk into the room and see a girl and her boyfriend. Neither of them could be more than 17. Snuggled up on the girl’s chest is the minutes-old newborn, Anne and Cathy’s daughter. The boy waves hello. The couple seem like nice people. People that they’ll want in this child’s life.   
Not too much time passes, and Anne is already holding the baby, who they’ve decided to name Mary. When the issue of Anne’s sister and Catherine’s daughter both being named Mary, a nickname, Mae, is decided on.  
Cathy looks over at Anne, who is still holding baby Mae. “One day at a time?”  
“One day at a time,” Anne affirms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s Mae, finally!


	11. School Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A school showcase and a parent-teacher conference- what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just your average wholesome chapter.

Today is a day that Anne and Cathy have been looking forward to- Lizzie’s first school showcase. Putting their daughter in a more arts-focused school seems to be paying off, as Lizzie is happy and allowed to be creative. The showcases, which happen in the fall and spring of each year, are a combination of an art gallery, music recital, and parent-teacher conference, and in the spring, the older children put on a play or show a movie that they have written and directed themselves.  
Cathy has managed to put Lizzie’s hair into a bun that will hopefully hold up all night. The kindergarteners have a rhythm band as their music class, and Lizzie is the only triangle player in her class. She is very excited because, in her words, she gets to “play it like ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling” at the end. Anne and Cathy are looking forward to that, but they are also interested to know how Lizzie is doing in school.  
“Are you ready, Mae?” Anne asks the now three-month-old baby, who gurgles and waves from her swing in reply. Anne picks her up, puts her in the car seat, and takes her out to the minivan, where Cathy and Lizzie are already waiting.  
When Lizzie was enrolled into school, Anne and Cathy were pleased to know that Jane’s son Edward and Catherine’s daughter Mary were already going to the same school. The group of friends plans to meet up before the showcase so they can all sit together in the school’s auditorium. The kindergarten rhythm band is up first, and they stay together throughout the entire song, at least Anne thinks so. Lizzie’s little solo at the end is adorable, and the audience gives a wholehearted round of applause. After the rhythm band comes all the other bands and choirs, after which the attention shifts to solo and small group acts. Edward and a few of his classmates do a performance of a rap they had written for a history class, and Mary does a ballet act with her dance class. After the stage portion of the night is over, cookies and punch are given to families in the hallway, and the Boleyn-Parrs go to look for Lizzie’s artwork. Each child’s best piece of the year is put in the hallway so that parents can watch their child’s ability grow throughout the years. Lizzie’s work is a collage of construction paper, fuzzy sticks, felt, and glitter. Lots of glitter. Most of the kindergarten art is the same way, colorful and eye-catching. Some kids are obviously a bit behind or ahead of their classmates, but that’s the purpose of the showcase- to display each child’s natural ability.  
Once the family has admired Lizzie’s picture for a considerable amount of time, they head inside to talk to the teacher. Lizzie runs into the classroom and pulls her teacher over to her family. “Miss Courtney! Miss Courtney! My family is here, come on!” The teacher, a young woman with hair nearly as wild as Cathy’s, follows Lizzie’s lead.  
“Hi!” she says, extending a hand toward Anne and Cathy. “I’m Miss Court- ah, force of habit, sorry. Courtney Stapleton.”  
“Oh, it’s completely fine. I’m Cathy, this is my wife, Anne.”  
“Pleased to meet you.”  
“Miss Courtney! This is my baby sister, her name’s Mae,” Lizzie cuts in.  
“That’s who this is! Well, Miss Mae, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Courtney exclaims, giving a little curtsy. “Anyway, we’re here to talk about Lizzie. She’s a joy to have in class, and she’s made lots of friends. She’s also one smart cookie. Way ahead of the rest of the class in reading, and she’s great at forming her thoughts into words. She struggles a little bit with her penmanship, but she’ll catch up soon. I don’t have any problems with her. Any questions?”  
“Um, actually, yes,” Anne replies. “Is there any way to schedule a conference with the music teacher?”  
“Oh, Ms. Mouat? She’s not the most formal, usually you can just stop her in the halls to talk to her. She’s probably wandering around the building right now, or she’s in the music room.”  
“Great, thanks.” Anne turns to Lizzie. “C’mon, Lizzie, lets go talk to your music teacher.”  
After they exit the room, Cathy turns to Courtney. “Is Lizzie going to be treated...differently?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Y’know, since she has two moms instead of a mom and a dad?”  
“Oh, no, the school is very supportive of LGBT marriages. Obviously, there’ll be the kids with homophobic parents, but we’re trying to teach the kids to accept everyone.”  
“That’s nice to hear. I was just worried that she’d get bullied later on, I know little kids are more accepting than some of the older kids.”  
“I know exactly what you mean. I’ve even heard a few conversations, it’s really the sweetest thing. We were drawing family portraits a few weeks ago, and one of the little girls that sits by Lizzie says, ‘Oh, you have two moms?’ and Lizzie just nodded, and the little girl says ‘Cool, I wish I had a mom.’”  
Cathy swore she could feel her heart break into a million pieces. “What’s the name of that little girl?”  
“Her name’s Collette, she’s really the sweetest little girl. Her single dad’s raising her, her mom died in a car crash not too long ago.”  
“Oh, that’s sad. I’ll have to talk to Lizzie about inviting her over.”  
Not too long afterwards, Anne and Lizzie come bolting back into the room. “Come on, Cathy, we gotta get these kids into bed!”  
“Alright, alright, I’m coming!”  
On the way home, Lizzie talked and talked about how Ms. Mouat was going to give her singing lessons, how she really, really wanted to take lessons, and how the class was going to be learning how to play the recorder after the break for the holidays.  
At home, just as Cathy was about to turn out the light, she asked Lizzie, “Do you know a little girl named Collette?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just HAD to add in some of the alternates. Also, let me know if you’d want to see a series stemming from this.


End file.
